Coach changes after a year

A month ago I celebrated the one year anniversary of buying our coach, and mentioned that I’d do an update on it. Here ya go — some pictures of the what our coach looks like now, after a year of modifications.

Here’s the 2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP floorplan, edited to show our options and modifications:

2017 40SP floorplan with our mods

The outside is much the same, but we now have Sinclair Trails stickers on the side of the slide-out, along with a map showing the states we’ve visited, plus the Magne-Shades on the windscreen and side windows:

Our coach

Looking down a bit, another addition visible there is a foldable wagon, and an extra step:

Our coach

On the other side of the coach, we have National Park stickers for parks we’ve visited on the slide-out:

National Park stickers

Heading inside, the cockpit area has a few changes:

Cockpit

For example, the steering wheel table and plants (the boxes contain our keys etc, to avoid Paladin knocking them off the table):

Steering wheel table

Speaking of the boy, he enjoys his boxes on the dash, and sitting on the carpeted dash cover:

Paladin

Above the entry door is now a small cupboard full of internet devices, with the door removed:

Internet cupboard

We added hooks for hats and bike helmets:

Hooks for hats and bike helmets

On the passenger side, in front of the lift TV is a top-entry cat litter box and waste bin, plus IKEA drawers and cupboards, where there was originally a couch, and later a desk:

Cat litter; IKEA drawers and cupboards

Here’s the main TV active (with Jenn’s video game), and the smaller TV over the windscreen (showing a baseball game):

TVs

Opposite that is new theater seating and cabinets, where there was originally an L-shaped couch, and later recliner chairs:

Theater seating and cabinets

Here’s a view of the living area:

Living room

The dining table and chairs are unchanged, though we have Paladin’s food, water, bed, and a scratcher on the cabinet behind the table, and alcohol storage in the rightmost cupboard below:

Dining table and chairs

Next to the fridge is a framed wooden map and sticker board that we recently added:

Fridge

The kitchen / galley area has modifications like the towel rail, and a drying rack over one of the sinks:

Kitchen

A closer look at the kitchen counter:

Kitchen counter

The two sinks, with a drying rack and bottle rack on the right-hand one:

Sinks

In the sinks are handy strainers, better than the stock ones:

Sink strainers

Continuing back, the half bath:

Half bath

The thermostat and Spyder control panel in the bedroom; upgrading this control panel was a huge improvement:

Controls

In the bedroom, we’ve added hooks for actively worn clothes:

Bedroom

Another cat bed, plus gaming headphones and controllers, a projection clock, and device chargers:

Cat bed and electronics

In the media cupboard, Jenn’s PS5 etc:

PS5 etc

The bed is much the same, just different covers:

Bedroom

The bathroom:

Bathroom

The sink area has necklace hooks and under-cabinet lights:

Bathroom sink

The shower has extra hooks and dispensers, and we added towel rods next to the shower:

Shower

A look at the living area from by the half bath:

Living area

 And a similar view with the slides in — somewhat smaller:

Slides in

Still enough room to get by the couch, though:

Slides in

The bedroom with slides in; can’t really get past the bed without difficulty; we pile the steering wheel table, air cleaner, etc on it for travel:

Slides in

 Heading outside, the basement cooler is the same; we have it unplugged, and just use it to store spare beverages:

Basement cooler

The next basement compartment has houseware supplies, plus a box with the Starlink dish:

Basement storage

The next compartment has my tools:

Basement storage

A small one next to it has bottled water and less-commonly used camping supplies:

Basement storage

Continuing back, next is the air and hydraulic compartment:

Air and hydraulic compartment

The last compartment on the passenger side has chassis batteries and stuff; the only change there is the addition of a tire pressure monitor repeater, to enable sensors on the truck to reach the display in the front of the coach:

Chassis compartment

In the back, the engine compartment, unchanged other than replaced filters etc:

Engine compartment

The DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) compartment; I do have a DEF simulator as insurance against a somewhat common failure:

DEF compartment

The electrical compartment, home to a Power Watchdog smart surge protector when traveling (and a cloth I use to wipe the cord while winding it):

Electrical compartment

The wet bay has the water hose and sewer stuff; here’s what it looks like when in use:

Wet bay

And when packed up:

Wet bay

Next is the Aqua-Hot system, unchanged other than topping up the boiler antifreeze fluid:

Aqua-Hot system

The other side of the basement storage contains the water filters and hoses, plus the Blackstone griddle:

Basement storage

With the griddle and filters in use, you can see less-commonly used stuff behind:

Basement storage

The next storage, which also goes all the way across, contains the fold-up wagon, jack pads, etc:

Basement storage

The battery compartment:

Battery compartment

We did upgrade the batteries to AGMs:

Battery compartment

At the front of the driver side are fuses and such; I hope not to have to access this compartment often:

Fuses etc

In front of the coach is the generator:

Generator

There have of course been lots of other changes, like getting ebikes, a pop-up gazebo, and other stuff. And a couple of extra solar panels on the roof:

Bikes, gazebo, solar

I hope you’ve enjoyed this update. No doubt we’ll continue making improvements to our coach as we continue our adventures.

Travel from Missoula to Livingston, Montana

We drove our coach 237 miles, about 4 hour of driving, from Missoula, Montana to Livingston, Montana.

The map route for this leg, heading south:

Map route

Leaving the RV park:

Leaving the RV park

Fuel up behind another motorhome:

Fuel up

Lots of roadworks on this journey, as they were rebuilding pretty much all of the bridges, one side at a time:

Roadworks

More roadworks:

More roadworks

Snack delivery:

Snack delivery

Smoky trees:

Smoky trees

Smoky roadworks:

Smoky roadworks

Interesting building and roadworks:

Interesting building and roadworks

Rest stop:

Rest stop

Quite a nice-looking building:

Quite a nice-looking building

Lunch:

Lunch

Paladin in a box:

Paladin in a box

More roadworks:

More roadworks

More roadworks

More roadworks

More roadworks

Paladin on the theater seating:

Paladin on theater seating

Paladin on theater seating

Oversize load:

Large load

Continental Divide, elevation 6393:

Continental Divide, elevation 6393

Another rest stop:

Rest stop

We had the hazard blinkers on going up a hill; the cameras change to show 4-up in this mode:

Cameras

Smoky:

Smoky

Yet more roadworks:

More roadworks

A rather narrow and bumpy road leading to the destination:

Narrow road

The RV park entrance:

Entrance

Enter:

Enter

Office:

Office

Guided to our site:

Guided to site

Travel from West Glacier to Missoula, Montana

We drove our coach 124 miles, about 3 hour of driving, from West Glacier, Montana to Missoula, Montana. Beginning our trek from the top of the country to the bottom — we’ll be spending the winter in Texas this year.

The map route for this leg, heading south:

Map route

Smoky US-2:

Smoky US-2

US-2 next to the Flathead River:

US-2 next to the Flathead River

Roadworks on MT-206:

Roadworks on US-206

We stopped at Woody’s Country Store for lunch again:

Woody's Country Store

Woody's Country Store

Our coach

Woody's Country Store

Woody's Country Store

Woody's Country Store

Woody's Country Store

Woody's Country Store

Very tasty fries and burger:

Food

Paladin sitting on the dash as we returned to our coach:

Paladin

Some sights along MT-35 next to Flathead Lake:

MT-35

MT-35

MT-35

MT-35

MT-35

MT-35

Flathead Lake:

Flathead Lake

Oops, a dining chair fell over; we might want to think about securing it with a bungee or something:

Dining chair fell over

US-93

Several places in Ronan had decorated hay bales:

Decorated hay bales

Decorated hay

US-93

US-93

In the Flathead Reservation, the signs were bilingual:

Flathead signs

Flathead signs

Flathead signs

A wildlife bridge:

Flathead signs

US-93

Our destination, Jim and Mary’s RV Park:

Jim and Mary's RV Park

Jim and Mary's RV Park

Our site before occupation:

Our site

Our coach:

Our coach

Jenn and Paladin looking out the driver window:

Jenn and Paladin

Travel from Marion to West Glacier, Montana

We drove our coach 64 miles, about 1 hour of driving, from Marion, Montana to West Glacier, Montana.

The map route, heading northeast:

Map route

Leaving the McGregor Lakes RV campground:

Leaving campground

US-2:

US-2

A barn:

Barn

An interesting building:

Interesting building

Crossing Flathead River:

Flathead River

We stopped at Woody’s Country Store for lunch; unusual in our coach, but I noticed that they have parking available for big rigs:

Coach parked at Woody's

Reserved parking

Woody's

Woody's

Woody's

Tasty BLT and excellent fries:

Lunch

Back to our coach:

Our coach

Paladin in the steps:

Paladin in the steps

Flathead River again:

Flathead River

Bridge

Hungry Horse; a place name that reminds me of a Hungry Horse restaurant I went to as a kid in New Zealand:

Hungry Horse

The Huckleberry Patch, where Jenn later got a huckleberry pie, pancake mix, etc:

The Huckleberry Patch

Our destination, Moose Creek RV Resort and B&B:

Moose Creek RV Resort

Approaching the office (a little narrow for a big coach):

Office

Jenn checking in:

Checking in

We unhooked our truck out front:

Unhooked truck

I drove the truck to our site, while Jenn drove our coach around a longer route, to avoid a sharp corner:

Coach approaching

Coach approaching

Travel from Athol, Idaho to Marion, Montana

We drove our coach 170 miles, about 3 hours of driving, from Athol, Idaho to Marion, Montana.

The map route, heading northeast then southeast:

Map route

Our coach:

Our coach

Our coach

Getting ready to hook up our truck:

Our coach

We used the dump station on the way out of the campground, since we didn’t have a sewer:

Dump station

Dump station

Entering US-95:

US-95

Roadworks:

Roadworks

A barn:

Barn

Paladin not overly concerned:

Paladin

Jenn changed the settings on the TV, and now the mirrored GPS is in color instead of grayscale. Yay!

GPS on TV

Jenn driving:

Jenn driving

US-95 bridge over Lake Pend Oreille:

US-95 bridge over Lake Pend Oreille

A train station:

Train station

North of Lake Pend Oreille is a town called Ponderay, which is how the lake is pronounced:

Ponderay

A Pringles snack while driving down the road:

Snack

A seaplane:

Seaplane

Canada or Kalispell; hint, not going to Canada (yet; probably in a few years):

Canada or Kalispell

Entering Montana, and Mountain Time Zone:

Entering Montana

A stream:

Stream

Kootenai River:

Kootenai River

Car on a pole in Libby:

Car on a pole

Bird on a pole:

Bird on a pole

Bees!

Bees

Middle Thompson Lake:

Middle Thompson Lake

McGregor Lake:

McGregor Lake

Our destination for one night, McGregor Lakes RV Park:

McGregor Lakes RV Park

Travel from Plymouth, Washington to Athol, Idaho

We drove our coach 217 miles, about 4 hours of driving, from Plymouth, Washington to Athol, Idaho.

The map route, heading northeast:

Map route

Since we didn’t have a sewer hookup at Plymouth Park Campground, we used the campground dump station on the way out:

Dump station

Leaving the campground:

Leaving the campground

A stowaway spider inside:

Spider

Skoolie:

Skoolie

Bikers:

Bikers

Bridge:

Bridge

Exit towards Spokane:

Spokane exit

Paladin:

Paladin

Passing Coyote Run RV Park, where we stayed one night on the way home from Yellowstone last year:

Coyote Run RV Park

Coyote Run RV Park

US-395:

Yellow

Exit to a rest area:

Exit

Rest area:

Rest area

Paladin:

Paladin

Back on US-395:

US-395

I-90:

I-90

Sprague Lake:

Sprague Lake

Petro truck stop:

Petro truck stop

Truck stop

Some interesting (but gloomy) architecture in Spokane, Washington:

Spokane, Washington

Spokane, Washington

Paladin again:

Paladin

Welcome to Idaho:

Welcome to Idaho

Farragut exit:

Farragut exit

Farragut State Park:

Farragut State Park

Checking in:

Checking in

Paladin on the dash, driving to the campground:

Paladin

Travel from Kelso to Plymouth, Washington

We drove our coach 231 miles, about 4 hours of driving, from Kelso, Washington to Plymouth, Washington, with a stop in Woodland to get a new couch and cabinets installed (more on that later).

The first leg map route, heading south:

Map route 1

The second leg map route, heading south then east:

Map route 2

Since the first leg was less than half an hour, and we weren’t sure of the situation on arrival, we drove separately, i.e. without hooking up the truck to the coach:

Driving separately

After the installation, we continued down I-5:

Bridge

A rest area stop:

Rest area

RV passing:

RV passing

The I-205 bridge over the Colombia River:

Bridge

Entering Portland:

Entering Portland

Welcome to Oregon:

Welcome to Oregon

Driving along the Colombia Gorge:

Gorge

Paladin asleep in his safe space:

Paladin

A tunnel… not a huge amount of clearance there:

Tunnel

Tunnel

Gorge:

Gorge

Another rest area:

Rest area

Rest area

Wind turbines and a barge:

Wind turbines and arge

Dam:

Dam

Gorge

Paladin sleeping:

Paladin sleeping

Wind turbines (and dirty window):

Wind turbines

Irrigation:

Irrigation

I-82 bridge, crossing back into Washington:

Bridge

Welcome to Washington:

Welcome to Washington

Rail bridge:

Rail bridge

Plymouth Park entrance:

Plymouth Park entrance

Plymouth Park entrance

Approaching our site:

Our site

Little did we know of what was in store for us!

Travel from Concrete to Kelso, Washington

We drove our coach 215 miles, about 4 hours of driving, from Concrete, Washington to Kelso, Washington.

The map route, heading south:

Map route

Paladin looking a little concerned in the steps:

Paladin looking a little concerned in the steps

Rail bridge:

Rail bridge

Do you think they’d wash a 40-foot motorhome?

Car wash

Historic train:

Historic train

Entering I-5:

Entering I-5

Bridge:

Bridge

Paladin:

Paladin

Rest area exit:

Rest area exit

A nice rest area dump station:

Dump station

Dump station

Pink car:

Pink car

Bridges:

Bridges

Trains:

Trains

Seattle Space Needle:

Seattle Space Needle

Seattle:

Seattle

Seattle

Seattle Convention Center:

Seattle Convention Center

Seaplane:

Seaplane

Paladin on the back of my chair:

Paladin and David

Seattle traffic:

Seattle traffic

Green car:

Green car

Tacoma Dome:

Tacoma Dome

Paladin:

Paladin

Another rest area:

Rest area

Lunch:

Lunch

Paladin:

Paladin

Gee Cee’s Truck Stop, a nice fuel option on I-5:

Gee Cee's Truck Stop

Gee Cee's Truck Stop

Kelso exit:

Kelso exit

Arriving at the RV park:

RV park

RV park

RV park

Travel from Shelton to Concrete, Washington

We drove our coach 187 miles, about 5 hours of driving, from Shelton, Washington to Concrete, Washington.

The map route, heading north (exact start omitted for privacy):

Patial map route

A narrow road:

Narrow road

Paladin on the dash, unusual for him when driving:

Paladin on the dash

On the dash in front of Jenn isn’t acceptable, though:

Paladin on the dash

Freeway:

Freeway

Joining I-5:

Joining I-5

A bridge over I-5 in Olympia, the state capitol:

Olympia bridge

Paladin on the back of my chair:

David and Paladin

On the dash again; he seems to be getting more comfortable with seeing the traffic outside:

Paladin

While driving through Tacoma, a semi truck got too close to us and clipped our mirror with theirs, shattering the upper mirror glass:

Shattered mirror

Tacoma Dome:

Tacoma Dome

We stopped at a rest area for lunch:

Rest area

The SeaTac northbound rest area is rather nice, with a dump station and separate RV parking:

Rest area

I got out to inspect the shattered mirror; more on this in a future post (I should be able to replace just the glass):

Shattered mirror

Lunch for us and my Pokémon buddy:

Lunch with Pokémon

(My trainer code is 5198 7224 2799 if you play; my referral code is BT9H6KRBC, if you don’t but want to start.)

Pokémon trainer code

Paladin on my lap:

Paladin on David's lap

Boeing Field:

Boeing Field

Seattle:

Seattle

Seattle

Seattle

The freeway goes under downtown buildings:

Under buildings

Paladin on my lap:

Paladin

And sleeping on the back of my chair:

Paladin and David

We stopped at another rest area, and used their dump station:

Dump station

RV at dump station

Dump station

There was a handy map of rest areas and dump stations:

Map

Our exit:

Our exit

Paladin on the floor between us:

Paladin

Highway:

Highway

Our destination:

Our destination

Our destination

Travel from Buxton, Oregon to Eatonville, Washington

We drove our coach 163 miles, about 4 hours of driving, from Buxton, Oregon to Eatonville, Washington.

The map route, heading north:

Map route

We pulled into a maintenance area to hook up our tow bar:

Tow bar

Our new Sinclair Trails logo sticker is visible inside with the slide-out in:

Sinclair Trails logo and David

Jenn driving; yes, she drives our coach:

Jenn driving

Enjoying some coffee at a traffic light stop:

Jenn drinking coffee

Sandy:

Sandy

Interesting MAX light rail station:

Interesting MAX light rail station

MAX light rail:

MAX light rail

Heading towards Seattle:

Heading towards Seattle

Paladin on the back of my chair:

Paladin and David

Leaving Portland:

Leaving Portland

Leaving Oregon:

Leaving Oregon

Stopping at a rest area:

Rest area

Rest area

Lunch:

Lunch

The rest area had an RV dump station; nice:

Dump station

Paladin:

Paladin

Bridge:

Bridge

A small plane taking off:

Small plane taking off

Small plane taking off

Driving:

Driving

Another Tiffin joining the freeway:

Tiffin

Paladin passing over my lap:

Paladin

Gee Cee’s Truck Stop; quite nice and not busy:

Gee Cee's Truck Stop

Gee Cee's Truck Stop

Another bridge:

Bridge

We have Sinclair Trails logo Yeti coffee mugs:

Sinclair Trails coffee mug

Sinclair Trails coffee mug

Sleeping Paladin:

Sleeping Paladin

Mayfield Lake:

Mayfield Lake

Mayfield Lake

Jenn driving:

Jenn driving

Paladin asleep:

Paladin asleep

Highway 12:

Highway 12

Hey look, another bridge:

Bridge

Hobo Inn, staying in train cars:

Hobo Inn in train cars

Day use area at Alder Lake:

Day use area

Our destination, Rocky Point campground:

Rocky Point campground

A rather narrow road within the campground:

Narrow road